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Flare
Joan is a mutant with fire based powers, she also has the temper to match the wild fires she can create. This coupled with unrelentingly strict parents all coupled into quite the tragedy when Joan kept clashing with her parents, fall into bad crowds in high school, and eventally literally burning her life away. Her past more or less behind her, Joan escaped from the ruins of her former more or less homely life to wind up with a crime group that took advantage of young, confused metas without direction. Eventually that didn't work out either, and now she's on just like Frank Sinatra, doing it her way, only with fire! Background Joan was born to very strict parents, experienced medical doctor, Rupert Blair, and his lawyer wife, Allison Hart Blair. While they wanted a son, they accepted their baby girl well enough, proceeding to chart her entire life. She was to be accepted into the finest preschools, finest kindergartens, the most exclusive elementary school, leading to the best high school and a fine ivy league university on her way to success and riches. Unfortunately, Joan wasn't a very obedient girl, and her mind was much too focused on having fun and being a kid rather than having every little moment of her life revolving around her next destination, her next goal, the next objective set for her by her parents. The constant demands made out of Joan brought her to gradually hate responsibility to the point of loathing. All she ever wanted to do is have fun, play with her friends, and forget about all of her parents' expectations. Naturally, Joan was reprimanded and constantly punished, which brought about resentment of her parents in general. When Joan celebrated her 13 she got one surprise birthday present she did not expect, in a feat of rage after not getting what she wanted for her birthday, she started throwing her stuffed animals about her room only to find that along the way she throw a few bolts of fire that burnt a few of her plushie friends. Smelling the burnt smell coming from her room, Joan's parents thought she was being far too rebellious in burning her toys in protest, and proceeded to punish her severely along with a lengthy grounding. This drove Joan further away from her parents, and with her awareness about public resentment of metas, she decided to hide her powers rather than tell anyone. After the incident following her 13th birthday, Joan grew further away from her parents, focusing instead on spending as much time as she can with her growing circle of friends at school. Her parents did not approve of Joan's growing distractions from the path they set out for her, and this brought about many more feuds at home, Joan notably developing quite a temper as she'd throw temper tantrums, scream at her parents wildly, throw stuff about the house, and make a spectacle of herself whenever she got angry. She also developed a habit of riling herself up, instead of trying to calm, always making herself more angry than she originally was. As a result Joan was punished more often, was forced to defy her parents more often, and outright refused to do anything responsibly or in the manner they wanted her to. Counselling sessions didn't help much, Joan simply refused to cooperate. At 15 year olds, Joan found there's a particular group of kids in high school that everyone looked up to, there was an air of danger about them, they were cool, they were fearless. The last thing she needed was to get picked on as a freshman after all she suffered at home, so she made sure to do anything in her power to hang out with the cool kids. They of course treated Joan as a toy and tested how far they could corrupt the little girl, having her prove she's worthy of their company by smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and eventually even try drugs with them. When nothing seemed to deter her, and she passed her initiation of stealing from a local convenience store, Joan was accepted as one of them. She had to stop seeing some of her old friends, but that was a small price to pay for acceptance and being cool. At least in school she was admired, and it was a good feeling for Joan. She started to go by Joan Blaze, trying to distance herself from her parents and the surname of Blair. While Joan's parents tried everything they could to reign her in, they always assumed it was some kind of a teenaged phase she was going through and that she would straighten out, so beyond the constant fighting and counselling, they assumed it will pass. Joan for her part minded her own business, hanged out with her new friends most of the time, and in the few times she was by herself, she tried to practice her newfound fire powers. When Joan managed to master a new trick of lighting up a joint with her finger, she was eager to share with her friends. Unfortunately, she found that just like she heard, not everyone tolerated metas. Even so, there were some who were quite impressed, so while her circle of friends dwindled, her bond became much tighter with a select few. Sadly, those few were the real bad apples of the bunch, and for her 16 year old birthday she got her first fake ID as a gift. Ever descending into worse vice, Joan was taught basics of mixing some simple drugs out of pharmaceuticals, where to get proper drugs, and what places were the safest to venture to with her new fake ID. Next step in Joan's descent had to do with being introduced to more regular pastime activity of theft with an added venture into vandalism. While Joan wasn't necessarily looking to hurt anyone, taking to vandalism helped her unleash so much of her pent up aggression, and she felt quite good doing that. Coincidentally, it also helped her better develop her potential, finding ways to increase her output of her power with rage, control, on the other hand proved much harder. It seemed as though everything would go smoothly until one day when she was 17 years old, Joan's parents found out some drugs and alcohol hidden in her room. That day when Joan got home from hanging out with her friends she was met with searing glares. Already Joan was getting nervous and agitated before the lecture started, and it wasn't a pleasant lecture. Yelling, belittling, slapping, shaking around, and eventually Joan lost it. She exploded with all of her fury on her parents, trying to explain how they were the ones to drive her on a dark path, only she exploded into violent flames, not just words. Fire just burst out of Joan, seeming to immolate her, only her very body seemed to have been made of fire. The heat and flames only intensified with her furious shriek, and in moments the entire house along with her parents was burnt to cinders. Joan, being of fire, was left unharmed physically. Mentally, however, the experience was no an easy one on her. Maybe she hated her parents, maybe she wished they would die several times over, but actually being the cause freaked her out immensely. Not knowing what to do, Joan proceeded to run away, leaving the cops to declare an accident due to a gas leak, assuming all of the family died. Joan flew as far away as she could, feeling genuinely hurt, weak and broken for the first time in her life. She wept endlessly, and wanted to look for a place to hide herself from the world. She made her way to the abandoned City Hall subway station in NYC, only to be discovered by someone who saw her fiery arrival. As it turns out that man was Derek Foster, a lowlife who saw an opportunity in the dejected, derelict young metas who were driven by whatever means to feel lonesome and helpless. He has assembled himself a group and trained them in doing crime for him, and in return he took care of them like a surrogate father of sorts, he was someone who understood them, cared for them, respected them, and all they had to do was do a little bit of crime against a society that wouldn't accept them. Joan's time with Derek Foster's gang proved to be the most fulfilling she has had to that point in her life, she stayed with the group until she was 18 years old. During that time Joan learned to fight, got to hone her skills using her powers, leading to new applications and skills. Best of all, there was no expectation, and she was largely left to her own devices except when she was needed for particular assignments. Her time with Derek also strengthened Joan's connections with the underworld, got her some contacts, and though she was never a big player and was just one of Foster's kids, she had sources to go to when needed. No good thing lasts forever, and it happened to be a good thing that lead to it too. With Joan being older, more experienced, and her recklessness and fearless approach amassing her success and much credit with Foster, she was eventually promoted to a squad leader. At first Joan was proud and relished her higher position in the group. Having some power over lesser ranked felt good, earning some respect felt good, but what came with it was not at all good for Joan. Foster didn't bother to learn about Joan beyond her powers, and so he didn't realize he was about to make a mistake in demanding she'll be more responsible in accordance with her promotion. Just hearing the word responsibility shook Joan quite a bit, bringing flashes of her authoritative parents, her constant fighting with them, and how it all ended. During the lively argument that ensued Foster accused Joan of being like a little girl and flaring out in anger whenever she doesn't have her way. That's where Flare picked her codename from, it was also her last conversation with Derek Foster as she informed him she's done working for him. Flying away from a home for the second time, Joan promised herself she will never have to answer to another guardian or figure of authority, and that she'll take care of herself as best she knows. MUX History *Witnessing Magneto calling out for revenge over the infamous bombing of Xavier's school, handling wouldbe heroes with relative ease and proceeding to do as he wills, Flare has become fascinated with the man, and developed a great deal of respect for him. *Flare followed Magneto in her newfound fascination, and managed to have a meeting with him in Mutant Town, as he spotted her. The two had a deeper conversation than Flare is used to, and she decided if Magneto was to call for her assistance in kicking dorky butts (her definition not his) she will help him. *Joan heard about free self defense lessons given at Ted Grant's Gym, and figured it may be worthwhile to try and learn something from a former Boxing Champion, while impressed with Ted's physique, she didn't much like his mannerism. At this point she's not sure if she likes him or hates him. *Going to Callahan's Pub with the intention to buy drugs, Joan winds up running into Priscilla Kitaen, learns that she cannot handle Whiskey, and somehow through it all makes a new friend. Her only friend thus far. Logs * Needing Friends - Jo runs into Priss at a bar, and the two strike up a conversation and a friendship. * Mi Casa Est Su Casa - The morning after their encounter in a bar, Jo wakes up in Priss' apartment. The ladies come to an understanding together. Category:Characters Category:Taken Category:Original